


Stray

by apostapals (apostapal)



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: F/M, M/M, Other, gender neutral pronouns for hawke, shapeshifting anders headcanons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-07
Updated: 2015-09-07
Packaged: 2018-04-19 14:54:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4750481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apostapal/pseuds/apostapals
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are a lot of things Varric left out. One of them is about a particular magical skill Anders had from his warden days.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stray

When Hawke and Varric stumbled into Anders’ clinic that night, drunk on cheap beer and already halfway to nursing hangovers, they’d done so with the explicit intention of doing  _something_. But the second Hawke caught sight of a small bundle of fur resting in the direct center of one of the cots that was completely forgotten.  
  
“He finally got a cat?” they slurred, leaning heavily on Varric’s shoulder, “I was going to get him one! He likes orange cats…”  
  
The dwarf laughed, patting at Hawke’s arm. “Too late, champ. Now–”  
  
Before he could finish the thought, however, they watched as the small tabby rose to its feet, stretched, and spotted them. They all froze, watching each other, and the cat’s fur slowly bristled to a point. Hawke, ever the animal person, made an attempt to soothe the disgruntled creature.  
  
“Heeeey kitty, it’s okayyy, we were just looking for your owner–”  
  
The feline let out a loud sneeze and, in a puff of smoke, disappeared and left everyone’s favorite healer in their place. Startled, Varric and Hawke reeled a few steps back towards the doorway before Anders could speak.  
  
“You have no idea how to talk to cats, do you?” he teased, muffling a yawn in his hand, “Maker, why do you two reek of ale?”  
  
“Anders! What happened?” Hawke blurted, drunken slur summoning in full force, “I always knew you sneeze like a kitty but I–!”  
  
Varric gave them a firm pat in the gut, silencing further rambling, and narrowed his eyes at Anders in silent questioning.  _What was that?_  
  
“Hey, every mage has picked up tricks from their friends now and then.” Anders replied, muffling another yawn.  
  
  
_“You learned shapeshifting?”_  
  
_Aberdeen blinks and peers over her paperwork at him. Anders is watching her, eyes bright, and leans an inch closer when she acknowledges him._  
  
_“You noticed.” she says, almost shocked, and grins at him._  
  
_“You turned into a bird!” he huffs and waves a hand in the air dramatically, “How could I miss it?”_  
  
_“You’re not always horribly observant.”_  
  
_Anders wrinkles his nose at her. “Teach me.” It’s more of a demand than a request but such is the nature of their friendship these days; she might be ‘Warden-Commander Surana’ in front of other people but between them she’s ‘Aber’._  
  
_“You want to be a bird?” she laughs and gestures to his robes playfully, “You’re already mostly there, my dear.”_  
  
_“No. Or yes? You can be other things, right?”_  
  
_“I only ever learned two.” she remarks, then chuckles, “I’m sure you can make use of both, however.”_  
  
  
“What’s it feel like?” Hawke asked much later and much more sober.  
  
Anders considered the question a moment, humming to himself, and finally just shrugged.  
  
“Like being a cat. Everything is brighter, louder, and smellier. It’s also a touch warmer than being a human.”  
  
“Can you be anything else?”  
  
“Ab–The Warden-Commander taught me to turn into a bird.” he shrugged, “She thought it quite entertaining that my feathers in that form don’t even match my robes.”  
  
Hawke leaned forward on their elbows, making the already narrow space between themselves and Anders even smaller, and smiled. The mage smiled back and withheld the urge to change the entire direction of this conversation.  
  
“What are you, a sparrow? Canary? Or maybe a tropical bird?”  
  
That, at least, provided enough room to decide for Anders the subject needed to go. He leaned in closer, his nose bumping against Hawke’s, and felt a swell of joy at the fact they, yet again, stayed so close so happily.  
  
“I’ll never tell.” he hummed.  
  
Hawke’s response was wordless and far more enjoyable than further guessing.  
  
  
When Hawke arrives at Skyhold so does, seemingly randomly, a small ginger tabby cat. As far as anyone can tell it does not come in  _with_ the Champion, per say, but it is hardly far from them once it does arrive.  
  
The Inquisition soldiers take to calling it ‘the stray’, seeing as there aren’t any other animals around to confuse with it. It lurks around the battlements, mostly, and can be found often nestled in Hawke’s belongings or even the Champion’s armor itself.  
  
“I do love cats.” Hawke says with a laugh when questioned, “Makes sense.”  
  
When not with Hawke, which is hardly ever, they occasionally watch it slink with great purpose up the stairs of the great hall, in the doors, and over to Varric’s usual writing spot by the fire. Varric makes no mention of remembering when or if Hawke had a cat but still seems to greet the furball as if he’s always known it.  
  
Once, one of Leliana’s people swears they hear him call it ‘Blondie’.  
  
“I like cats.” Varric hums, more to the cat than the Inquisitor watching him curiously, as he rubs his fingers against the space between the cat’s ears, “Didn’t always but… they grow on you.”  
  
When Hawke departs, they do so with the cat.  
  
“Everyone can use a little company.” they explain with a chuckle when someone remarks on the bright yellow eyes peering out of their pack.  
  
“Nosy bunch, aren’t they?” Varric teases, grabbing Hawke in a strong hug.  
  
And, when no one can hear, they whisper something to each other. Something that makes them both laugh and, best of all, a deep purr come from the stray in Hawke’s bag.  
  
  
_“They didn’t notice the little hawk above you when you arrived, thank the Maker.”_  
  
_“Pity, I enjoyed the symbolism.”_


End file.
